Proper registration between a magnetic reading and/or recording element and a magnetic information track on a web can be maintained by attaching the magnetic reading and/or recording element to an edge guide which follows a longitudinal edge of the web. The leading end of the web could catch on the edge guide as the web is threaded into a magnetic reading and/or recording apparatus, thus causing the web to rip or wrinkle. This deformation to the web may reduce the accuracy of the information being recorded on or read from the magnetic information track on the web.